As other cities consider defunding police, Houston increases HPD’s budget
URBAN EDGE : June 15, 2020
In the past 20 years, many social functions and gaps in city services have fallen to police departments, which, at the same time, have been acquiring more paramilitary equipment. Now, as cities face large budget deficits because of revenue losses from the COVID-19 pandemic and protestors call for defunding the police, it's yet to be seen how police services will be affected.
Large, young and fast-growing Sun Belt metros need urban policy innovation
URBAN EDGE : June 11, 2020
Large cities of the Sun Belt are getting bigger and younger faster than metro areas in other parts of the country. They also face a combination of challenges unlike those metros in other regions; however, American urban policy as we know it was created for traditional Northeastern and Midwestern cities.
How will property tax reform impact cities? Houston’s revenue cap offers insight
URBAN EDGE : May 29, 2020
The state’s property tax reform bill, which limits the amount cities and counties can raise property taxes to 3.5%, is expected to significantly affect one of the largest sources of revenue for local governments. Many will be looking for ways to circumvent the financial constraints of the measure. That’s something Houston has been dealing with since 2004.
4 things limiting Houston’s ability to generate more revenue
URBAN EDGE : May 28, 2020
Houston lost $25 million in sales tax revenue in March alone because of COVID-19. But the city’s fiscal struggles existed before the coronavirus pandemic.
A new Kinder Institute report compares the revenue sources and service levels among the three largest cities in Texas — Houston, Dallas and San Antonio — all of which are expected to see COVID-19-related revenue losses of between 10 and 15%. Of the three, Houston is the most constrained in its options for increasing revenue.
These tools — and policy changes — may help Houston address housing affordability
URBAN EDGE : May 6, 2020
For years, Houston has been touted as one of the nation’s most affordable major metropolitan areas. But it’s now facing a decreasing supply of affordable housing.
To effectively address the affordability crisis in Houston, local decision-makers and individuals must consider the combined costs of housing and transportation and their impact on overall affordability.
Already vulnerable neighborhoods are hardest hit by COVID-19 job losses
URBAN EDGE : April 29, 2020
A dashboard created by the Kinder Institute’s Houston Community Data Connections shows job-loss estimates in each Harris County community. Many of the areas impacted most by the economic downturn are home to low-income renters, the working poor and single-parent households.
Taking residents on a data walk to democratize community research findings
URBAN EDGE : April 27, 2020
Through workshops, community feedback and an interactive data walk, a Houston Community Data Connections team empowered Third Ward community members and other stakeholders to use data from a multi-phase comprehensive needs assessment to pursue priorities in the neighborhood.
Many residents feeling far from safe on Near Northside streets
URBAN EDGE : February 25, 2020
Near Northside residents’ perception of safety and the quality of streets and sidewalks are assessed in a pair of new reports from the Kinder Institute. The findings show subpar infrastructure and fears of crime and cars are endangering many in the neighborhood.
Is development fueled by transit driving residents out in some areas?
URBAN EDGE : December 11, 2019
Extensions of light rail service in areas with easy access to Houston’s major job centers have brought residential and commercial development to those areas. Researchers at the Kinder Institute wanted to find out if and how transit investments impact patterns of gentrification in the city.